Automatic dashboard jack



July 25, 1961 ss 2,993,512

AUTOMATIC DASHBOARD JACK Filed Sept. 10. 1959 /O T FLU/D 3 SELEOCTORRETURN 5W/TCH /6 24 Z2 Z4 Z0 1 l I TO JACK 3 ACTUA T/NG I CYL INDERS/Nl/E N TOR.

fZfzif United States Patent 2,993,512 AUTOMATIC DASHBOARD JACK Louis L.Bar-fuss, Paris, Idaho Filed Sept. 10, 1959, Ser. No. 839,107 2 Claims.(43 137-624) This invention relates to automotive vehicles and, moreparticularly, to an accessory therefor.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic jacksystem for automotive vehicles which will provide for the lifting of anycorner of the vehicle above the ground level, for the purpose ofservicing tires carried thereby, completely from within the vehicle andwithout manual labor.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide anautomotive dashboard jack system of the above type which can bepermanently attached to the vehicle, effectively prevents accidentalfalling of the vehicle from an elevated position, and which can becompletely operated in a simple and efiicient manner by a selector panellocated within the vehicle.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an automatic dashboardjack system for vehicles bearing the above objects in mind which is ofsimple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive tomanufacture, and efficient in operation.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention,reference may be had to the following detailed description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view, partly in section, of a hydraulic tank forminga part of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an end view of the tank shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a control panel and indicator assemblyforming another part of the present invention;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of a lift assembly forming another part ofthe present invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged longitudinal cross sectional view taken alongline 66 of FIGURE 5.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, an automatic dashboard jacksystem made in accordance with the present invention is shown to includea selector valve 10 in the form of a substantially cylindrical tank 12having an end wall 14 at one longitudinal extremity with a plurality ofoutlets 16, half of which are connected to the inlets 15 at one end ofeach of a plurality of lift assemblies 19, and the other half of whichare connected to the inlets 17 at the opposite end of the liftassemblies. The opposite end wall 18 of the tank 12 is also providedwith a plurality of ports 20, half of which are connected to the returnlines 38 at the first end of the lifts 19, and the other half of whichare connected to the return lines 50 at the opposite end of the lifts.

A longitudinal shaft 22 is rotatably supported upon the first end wall14 of the tank 12 and further supports a pair of substantially circulardiscs 24 at opposite ends which are in facing engagement with the endwalls 14, 18. Each disc 24 is provided with a substantially U-shaped cutout 26 which is selectively movable into confronting engagement with anyselected one of the supply ports 16 and return ports 20, as will behereinafter more fully de scribed. The outermost end of the shaft 22 hasa knob 28 secured thereto, which includes a radially outwardly extendingpointer 30 for selective rotation with respect to markers 32 of aselector panel 34. Thus, by rotating the knob 28, the access ports 26 ofthe valve plates 24 may be selectively rotated into communication withany one of the inlet or outlet ports of the selector valve.

As is more clearly shown in FIGURES 5 and 6 of the drawing, each liftunit 19 includes a cylinder 36 closed at one end and defining anaperture 43 at the opposite end that slidably receives the plunger 42 ofa piston 40 therethrough. The outer free end of the plunger 42 issecured to a pad 44 which is engageable with the ground in response toactuation of such lift. Radially inwardly extending stops 46 in theupper end of the cylinder 36 limit the upward movement of the piston 40,whereas similar stops 48 in the lower end of the cylinder limit thedownward movement of the piston 40.

In actual use, a single lift 19 is secured to each wheel housing of avehicle with the pad 44 normally in a raised position. However, inresponse to the setting of the knob 28 with respect to the panel 34,fluid placed under pressure in any suitable means, may be supplied tothe upper inlet 15 of any selected one of the lift units to force thepad 44 downwardly into engagement with the ground to lift thatparticular corner of the vehicle. Then, simply by rotating the knob 28to the down position for that particular wheel, fluid under pressure isforced into the lower inlet 17 of the cylinder to force the piston 40upwardly thus allowing the fluid within the upward portion of thecylinder to pass outwardly through the return line 38. Of course, whenthe piston 40 is initially moved to the downward position, any fluidcontained within the lower portion of the cylinder is forced back to theselector valve through the outlet line 50.

It will now be recognized that complete control over the raising andlowering of each corner of the vehicle is had from a single locationwithin the vehicle.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shallbe understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope ofthe present invention, as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of theUnited States is:

l. A selector valve for an automatic dashboard jack system comprising,in combination, a substantially cylindrical tank having end walls oneach opposite longitudinal extremity, each said end wall having aplurality of circumferentially spaced apart ports for connection toindividual pressure fluid ducts, and valve means comprising a pair ofplates, a shaft securing said plates in spaced apart parallelrelationship within said selector valve, and each of said plates havingan aperture selectively rotatable into communication with selected onesof said ports at each end of said selector valve.

2. The combination according to claim 1, further comprising manuallyrotatable selector means secured to said shaft for effecting selectedrotation of said shaft and apertured plates with respect to said portsof said master cylinder for controlling the actuation of any one of saidpressure responsive lifts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,538,167 Chappell et al May 19, 1925 1,682,781 Gardner Sept. 4, 19282,077,606 Wills et al Apr. 20, 1937 2,444,272 Sragal June 29, 19482,675,830 Vuillemin Apr. 20, 1954 2,722,947 Sragal Nov. 8, 19552,852,040 Deardorfi Sept. 16, 1958

